The bill amends the Rhode Island Prekindergarten Education Act to establish guidelines, rules, and regulations for the expansion of high-quality public prekindergarten education programs for all children ages three (3) and four (4), as well as to sustain and expand access to high-quality early care and education programs for infants and toddlers under age three (3). It sets a goal for at least 70% of children in the specified age group to be enrolled in high-quality prekindergarten options and authorizes the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations for the implementation of these options.

The bill defines research-based quality standards that must meet or exceed the recommended quality standards for state preschool programs, including criteria related to teacher education and certification, class size and staff ratios, learning time, developmentally appropriate learning standards, curriculum, support for students with special needs, support for English language learners, professional development, child assessments, and observations and coaching to improve practice.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the differentiation of quality standards by prekindergarten education setting and mandates that funds to sustain and expand prekindergarten and Head Start programs ensure competitive wages and benefits for early childhood educators. Commencing with fiscal year 2026, any increase in funding allocated for the expansion of the Rhode Island prekindergarten program must include a thirty percent (30%) set aside to be administered by the Department of Human Services to sustain and expand access to high-quality child care and early learning programs for infants and toddlers, including Early Head Start. The act will take effect upon passage.